A Vampire Movie Inspired One of Bonnie Tyler’s Biggest Hits in 1983

In 1983, Bonnie Tyler released “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. The multi-platinum single, written by Jim Steinman, became a four-week No. 1 single for Tyler. It appears on Tyler’s fifth studio album, Faster Than The Speed Of Night. The success of “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” is surprising, since the radio version exceeds five and a half minutes. The album version comes in at just under seven minutes.

“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” is not a duet, although backing vocals by Rory Dodd are featured prominently. The song says, “(Turn around) / Every now and then / I get a little bit terrified / And then I see the look in your eyes / (Turn around, bright eyes) / Every now and then I fall apart / (Turn around, bright eyes) / Every now and then / I fall apart / (Turn around) / Every now and then / I get a little bit restless.”

Steinman, a prolific songwriter, reveals that “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” was inspired by Nosferatu, a 1922 vampire film, which is an adaptation of Dracula. The lyrics, according to Steinman, were perfect for Tyler.

“It sounded so sensual but so ravaged,” he says. “It sounded heroic that she could sing at all.”

How Meat Loaf Inspired Bonnie Tyler to Record “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”

The rock band Meat Loaf also deserves a bit of credit for Tyler recording “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. Tyler began her career leaning more towards country music. But after deciding to focus more on rock music, Tyler discovered Meat Loaf. She was instantly drawn into that style and sound, which is how she connected with Steinman. Steinman wrote all the songs on Meat Loaf’s debut Bat Out Of Hell album.

“I’d seen Meat Loaf on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test doing Bat Out of Hell, so I told Muff Winwood at Sony that I wanted to work with Jim Steinman, who wrote for and produced Meat Loaf,” Tyler tells The Guardian. “Muff looked at me like I was barmy and told me that Jim would never do it.”

Tyler’s manager was reluctant, but Tyler was persistent and managed to meet with Steinman.

“Jim liked my voice,” Tyler remembers. “So three weeks later, my manager and I went to his apartment overlooking Central Park in New York. We came home on a high – we’d met Jim Steinman! And three weeks later, he sent for us again. He played the grand piano while Rory Dodd sang ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ to me. I understood immediately what an incredible song it was.”

Meat Loaf later said he regretted not recording “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” himself instead.

“[Steinman] told me he had started writing the song for a prospective musical version of Nosferatu years before, but never finished it,” Tyler shares. “Around the time we were recording, Meat Loaf had lost his voice. And after it was a hit, he always used to say, ‘Dang. That song should have been mine!’ I poured my heart out singing it.”

(Photo by CBS via Getty Images)